F: Imperium Incident 3 -Steve steps in!

Abc Imperium Stories

Imperium Incident

Part 3 - Steve Steps In

"Sorry, I don't understand" the Lady Emily admitted.

She walked forward as the old man ushered her into the narrow
passageway

"I am a bit slow?"

"Yes, breathed the old man, gazing fixedly ahead and slightly down. But
you really do have a lovely??"

He realised his danger.

"?personality" he finished.

Emily relaxed. He was quite a nice old man after all, not the
'lecherous old git' The Lady Jane had described.

"I need to know how to get across to another alter-existence, into
another Imperium, find the cause of our problems, solve it and get
back. And I only have six days!" she wailed.

"The answer's simple!" declared the old man, whose name was Ganph. "Sit
down, loosen your robe, and listen to me!"

Emily listened.

Emily looked at her watch.

Emily listened

Emily looked at her watch.

Emily listened

"Christ! Only five-and-a-half days to save the Imperium!" She
exclaimed

"Have you finished?" she asked Ganph.

He nodded.

"Yes, my Lady, I believe you are fully prepared for your task, ready
for any obstacles, shielded by knowledge; by clever tricks I have
passed on to you, and your resolve is stiffened by the magykal
wierdings I have informed you of!" Ganph looked smug. He was beaming.
He sat back, admiring the Lady.

"Errm"

Ganph leaned forward, both for a better view, and for the words of
wisdom he expected from this great Lady's lips.

"Could you go through it again, or better still write it down?" Emily
smiled endearingly at him.

"Ganph!" Ganph went purple, eyes bulging. Then he regained his
composure.

"Certainly, My Lady" He smiled through gritted teeth.

"Would you like a small libation?" He asked.

"Errm" Emily hesitated. 'What the hell was he on about?'

"Maybe"

Ganph produced two silver cups. Pouring a pale yellow liquid from a
crystal flask, he proffered one to Emily.

"My Lady?"

Emily gazed into the cup. With the first sniff, she recognised the
liquid.

"My Lady?" Ganph was puzzled.

Emily's eyes focused on him. Then, slowly, deliberately, she downed the
cup in one draft! 'Mmmm, fuzzy!' She thought.

They got on fine after that, chuckling and laughing as Ganph kept
breaking the nib on his pencil.

Before Emily left, she bestowed a gentle kiss on Ganph's grizzled
cheek.

"What's that!" she squealed, feeling something move under her
cloak.

"Er, just one of my little friends, Lady"

"Ooops!" Emily blushed "not so little!"

Emily left unsteadily, clutching a wrinkled piece of paper covered in
squiggles.

Only five days to save the Imperium!

*************

Steve looked into Emily's lovely face.

"Sure you're OK, dear" He asked solicitously.

"Oh, don't ask!" She said, popping another cherry into her perfect
mouth.

"But why did you want to see me, Steve?"

"Well, Em, I just got back from holiday?."

"Anywhere nice?" asked Emily absently.

"Look, never mind that, I came to ??."

"I went to Bognor once" mused Emily "It was open, but you couldn't
tell"

"Emily!" Steve's tone was sharp "concentrate! You've got five days to
save the Imperium!"

"Erm, about four-and-seven-eigths now" Emily confirmed.

"Glad to see you're still on the ball!" Breathed Steve
gratefully.

Steve secretly admired Emily. He had told her this once, and she'd
simply replied 'that's impossible'. Steve never knew why.

"I'm coming with you!" Steve declared.

Emily could not believe it. But she gazed into his eyes and saw he was
serious.

With Steve to lean on, she could do anything!

Remembering her position, she kept cool.

'I'll have to get that bitch Tess to do another cloak today' she
thought, gleefully.

"OK! We start tomorrow!"

That would leave only four days to save the Imperium!

(to be contd..)